Mining machine



March 20, 1928,

M. P.HOLMES MINING MACHINE Filed May 1.

Patented Mar. 29, 1928.

unites srarss insane PATENT @FFlfitl.

MORRIS P. HOLMES, OF.GLARE1VIONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR T SULLIVANMACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MINING MACHINE.

Application filed May 1, 1922. Serial No. 557,659.

My invention relates to mining machines. It has for its object toprovide an improved truck driving mechanism for such a machine, and moreespecially to provide an improved construction whereby the truck drivingmember, which in certain types of machines is disposed just above and inrear of the cutter chain passage and therefore during cutting constantlyworking in an atmosphere laden with dust and cuttings, may

be lubricated ellectively and may be maintained properly lubricated.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown -tor purposes of illustrationone em bodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

1 is a side elevation partially in section of a mining machine equippedwith my improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the truck drivingmember and its lubricating connections.

In this illustrative construction I have motor propelled type slidableon a bottom plate or shoe 2 on the mine bottom and mov able relative toflexible feeding means, herein 7 in the form of a chain 3, through theoperation of the feed operating membere driven from the miningmachine-motor (not shown) through suitable gearingincluding a gear 5rotatable with the feed operating member 4:; the mining machine, as in ausual construction, also carrying a cutter bar 6 projecting from itsfront end and in turn carrying a cutter chain 7, likewise driven by themotor, which extends beneath the frame and discharges the cuttingsthrough the rear end of the frame and beneath a truck driving member 8,in turn driven by suitable motor driven gearing including a gear 9.

In my improved construction, the teed operating member 4 and gear 5rotate together on an upstanding stud 10, suitably supported at itsopposite ends on the rear of the machine frame, a sleeve herein beingprovided on the member 4 and carrying the gear 5. This stud is hereinsuitably fixed to 50 the rear end of the frame, as by a key 11,

and provided with an axially extending aperture 12 adapted to be filledwith oil through a reduced aperture 13 in a plug 14, the plug 14. hereinalso acting to hold a part shown a mining machine'l of a standard of thecontrolling mechanism 15 in position on a removable frame section 16 inwhich the reduced upper end 17 of the stud is carried. As shown, theaxial aperture 12 is also provided with a lateral opening 18 leading tothe inner periphery of the sleeve on the feed operating member 1, sothat when lubricant is supplied to the bore 12, it may lubricatethe-bearings for the gear 5 and feed operating member 4;. Further, itwill be noted that the lower end of the stud 10 is also of reducedsection as at 19 and seated in the frame and that fixed to this reducedportion as by a key 20 is a stationary member 21 having a lateral port22 communicating with the bore 12 and adapted to distribute lubricantfrom the bore to the outer periphery ofthe stationary member 21 and acooperating longitudinally disposed or ver-- tical groove 23. As shown,a flanged bearing sleeve 24 having a lateralgroove 25in the undersurface of its flange is disposed outside this member 21 and beneath thelower surface of an outer depending flange 26 on the gear 8, while theend surface of the member 21 is recessed as at 27 to receive a hub 28 onaholding member 29 which is in turn threaded on, an extension 30 of theportion 19 and held in position by a suitable cotter pin connection 31.As shown, the member 29 is also provided with an upstanding flange 32received in a larger annular groove 33 in. the gear 8 spaced-by asuitable clearance from the outer periphery of the flange 26 on thatgear. v

In the operation of my improved construction, it will be evident thatwhen lubricant is supplied throughthe passage 18 into the bore 12, itwill flow out through the lateral passage 18 to the bearings for thegear 5 and feed operating member 1, while other lubricant will pass downthe bore 12 and out through the lateral passage 22 to the verticallydisposed groove 23in the member 21 and groove 25 in the flanged sleeve.24, thereby lubricating the bearing sleeve 24 as the gear 8 is rotatedrelative to the stationary members 21 and 29', while it will be notedthat the flange 32 on the member 29 elfectually prevents the lubricantfrom escaping to the ground and instead maintains a level of lubricantclosely adjacent the to of the flange 32. Thus it will be observe thatas a resultof my improved construction, it is possible to maintain thebearings for the truck drivmg gear a flange underlying the hub of saidgear, and a retaining member fixed to said stud and having a flangesurrounding the hub of said gear, said laterally ported member having alongitudinally extending groove in its periphery communicating with itsport and a recess in one of its ends in which the hub of said retainingmember is seated and said stud having a threaded extension to which thehub of said retaining member is threaded.

10. In a mining machine, feed operating and truck, driving mechanismincluding c0- axial gears, an axially bored stud disposed axially ofsaid gears and relative to which the same are rotatable, said studhaving lat eral apertures leading to the bearing surfaces of said gears,and means for maintaining a lubricant seal between the bearings of .saidtruck driving gear and the atmosphere having communication with theaxial bore in said stud.

11. In a mining machine, feed operating and truck driving mechanismincluding coaxial gears, .an axially bored stud disposed axially of saidgears and relative to which the same are rotatable, said stud having lateral apertures leading to the bearing surfaces of said gears, and meansfor maintaining a lubricant seal between the bearings of said truckdriving gear and the atmosphere, said means having provision forpreventing the entry of foreign matter to the bearings of said gear.

12. In a mining machine, feed operating and truck driving mechanismincluding coaxial gears, an axially bored stud disposed axially of saidgears and relative to which the same are rotatable, said stud havinglateral apertures leading to the bearing surfaces of said gears, andmeans for maintaining lubricant in said bore and a lubricant sealbetween the bearings of said truck driving gear and the atmosphere, saidmeans including a flange on said gear, a ported member between said gearand said stud, and a retaining member having a flange cooperating withthe flange on said gear.

13. The. combination with a mining machinepresenting a cuttings passageand a truck driving gear journaled adjacentthe same, of means forretaining said gear in position on said machine presenting an oil sealfor the bearings of the latter including a vertical shaft having passagemeans therein, a communicating laterally ported member secured thereto,a bearing disposed between said gear and said laterally ported member,and a flanged member enclosing said bearing and carried on said shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MORRIS P. HOLMES.

